Nannies, Grannies, and the Ontario Fire Code: What Realtors Need to Know About Retrofit Section 9.8
In addition to granny, a granny flat can contain some dire pitfalls for a new owner and anyone involved in the sale of such a unit. Its one more thing for real estate professionals to be concerned about, because the consequences of having an apartment declared illegal or closed down can be ... more...

Challenging the Gospel of Growth -- Must Business Grow to Survive?
A cherished business doctrine is that growth must be a primary business purpose: grow or perish is a mostly unquestioned truth. At South Mountain we favor certain kinds of growth, but not expansion for its own sake, which author Edward Abbey described as the ideology of the cancer cell. We embrace ... more...

Bottles! Bottles! Everywhere! One Man's Junk is Another Man's Fortune
From the Eye of the Potato: How complicated does a business have to be anyway? Well, here's how I got started when I was just a snot-nosed kid.Paul Henderson is an old friend of mine.I used to win a lot of marbles at school during the day.After school, I'd go over to Paul's house where he, by his ... more...

Connecticut Jury Awards and Out-of-Court Settlements: Examples of Damages Awards
Gall Bladder Surgery Medical Malpractice Death Results in $2.2 Million Jury VerdictIn the case of Dos Santos v. Zarif, a jury awarded $1.5 million to the estate of artist and sculptor Luis Dos Santos and $700,00 in loss-of-consortium to his wife. A motion for remittitur was denied. Dos Santos was ... more...

Strategic Acquisition Strategies for Small Businesses
Growth through acquisition should not be considered an option reserved solely for large or Public Companies. Small and mid-size businesses that opt to grow by acquiring other companies, rather than growing one new customer at a time, can gain benefits in addition to increased sales and profits ... more...

The Red Flags of Getting a Home Loan
Red flags are indicators that there may be a current or future problem with the borrower or transaction. They help Underwriters isolate pertinent issues that are part of the overall loan evaluation. They are questionable items, and when there are several, they usually indicate that something is ... more...

Philosophical Thoughts of a Road Warrior; Part I
With a tip of the hat to Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner and Dennis Miller; as I drove from Katy TX to the West side of Houston, I watched through the side-windshield of the Mobile Command Center traveling at 75 mph the freeway at the lines going by me in the rear view mirror and reflecting on ... more...

Mortgage Glossary - A Glossary of Mortgage Terms You Should Know
Acceleration Clause A clause in a mortgage defining that the entire outstanding balance can become due and payable should mortgage default occur. If the entire balance is not paid, the property will be foreclosed.Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Mortgage with interest rates that may be adjusted by ... more...

Home Mortgage and Financing Terms
Every business has it's jargon and residential real estate is no exception. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares commonly used mortgage and financing terms with home buyers and sellers.-Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM): A type of mortgage loan whose interest rate is tied ... more...